Shower curtain position retainer



Sept. 27, 1938. .1. w. YARDLEY SHOWER CURTAIN POSITION RETAINER FiledFeb. 2. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ttomgys Sept. 27, 1938.

.1. W. YARDLEY SHOWER CURTAIN POSITION RETAiNEH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' FiledFeb. 2, 193'? 1 Inventor ai'ddy v- By Aiiomgys Patented Sept. 27, 1938UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,131,156 snowua oua'mnv-rosnron RETAINERJames W. Yardley, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 2, 1937, Serial No. 123,675

1 Claim. (01. 4-149) ably secure the bottom of the curtain to the bathreceptacle to preventthe curtain from being displaced by the aircurrents and wrapping around the person of the bather.

Further objects of the invention are to provide.

a device of the character referred to that is strong, compact anddurable that is adaptable to 9;) be used with regulation bathingreceptacles, that is easy to attach and detach and that is comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture and install.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of anovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more specifically illustrated and described in theaccompanying specification, wherein is disclosed the preferredembodiment of the invention but it is to be understood that changes,variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the claim hereunto appended. T

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like partsthroughout the several 5 views:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the walls of a bathroom andbathing receptacle showing an adaptation therewith of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a detailed fragmentary vertical section taken at rightanglesto Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed vertical section through the lower portion of oneof the straps removed from the curtain. f

Figure 4 is a plan view of the lower portion of one of the straps havingthe button on the suction cup broken away.

Figure 5 is an enlarged outside elevation of a lower portion of thecurtain showing the strap detached from the wall of the bathingreceptacle.

In the drawings the invention is shown applied to a bath receptacle Awhich may be in the form This receptacle or bathtub as illustratedfromone side wall 6 of the bathroom above the bathtub or receptacle A isa shower bath spray which sprays the body of the bather. Above the tubis supported a shower bath curtain rod 9 the ends of which are securedto the side walls 6 as at IU. This curtain rod 9 is in verticalalignment with the outside wall ll of the bathtub or receptacle A.

A shower bath curtain is indicated at B and has a body portion in theform of a panel made oi. limp material such as light duck, silk or otherlimp fabrics treated to prevent abnormal shrinkage. The material of thecurtain forms a screen to prevent water from the bath spray fromsprinkling out of the area of the bath receptacle. Owing to the factthat the customary bathtub is five or six feet long the curtain panel Bis made in two sections stitched together by the double row of stitchingl2.

When the sections are secured together to form the curtain panel B theheight of the panel is such as to extend from a point near the curtainrod 9 down below the top edge of the outside wall it of the bathreceptacle A. Along the upper edge I3 of the panel B are secured in thehem l4 a series of grommets i5. In each grommet of the series is secureda regulation curtain hanger pin IS the crown of which embraces thecurtain rod 9. In this manner the upper edge of the curtain panel B isslidable on the curtain rod 9.

The edges of the panel B at each end are provided with a hem i'i whichextends from the upper hem it to the lower edge. The lower edge of thepanel B is also provided with a hem I8 and this hem extends for aconsiderable distance below the upper edge of the outside wall but abovethe bottom of the receptacle or tub A. The width of the panel B is suchthat the hems IT at the ends of the curtain bear against the oppositeends of the receptacle or tub A and form a relatively tight joint toprevent water from splashing,

In carrying out the invention there is provided anchoring members,preferably three in number. These anchoring members are indicated at 19,and 2!. Each of the anchoring members are formed in the same way and itis believed that a description of one will teach the construction of theothers. Each anchoring member consists of a relatively narrow elasticstrap 22 preferably formed of rubber fabric. In the end anchoringmembers I9 and 2| the upper end of each strap is secured by thestitching 23 of the hems H. The anchoring member 20 has the strap 22secured in thedguble row of stitching l2 which holds the two sections-ofthe panel B together. These anchoring members I9, 20 and 2| have theupper ends fastened materially above the hem l8 at the lower edge sothat when ,members I9, 20 and 2| to the tub each strap 22 has an opening24 adjacent the free end. A vacuum cup preferably formed of rubber ismounted in this opening. The vacuum cup includes a bowl portion 25 whichmerges with a neck 26 on the outside of the crown and integral with theneck in a square button or head 21. The button 21 is forced through theopening 24 in the strap 22 and seats about the neck 26 of the vacuumcup.

When it is desired to attach the bottom of the curtain panel B thestraps 22 of the anchoring members I9, 20, and 2| are stretched slightlyand the vacuum cups are pressed into gripping relation with the insideface of the outer wall H of the receptacle or tub A. The tensionon theanchoring members hold the body of the panel B under tension and preventit from being displaced or blown out into the bathroom by the currentscreated when water is sprayed through the showerbath head 8. When it isdesired to get out of the tub the buttons 21 on the vacuum cup membersare grasped by the hands and the vacuum broken whereupon the elasticstraps retract to normal position and the panel may be slid along thehanger rod tosone or the other end of the tub. In the retracted positionthe anchoring members are hidden behind the panel B from view, but whenthey are in attached relation they are extended below the hem l8 on thebottom of the panel.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

A shower bath curtain adapted to be mounted at its upper edge forsliding movement on a a horizontal support over a bath tub and with itsJAMES W. YARDLEY.

